Haru Matsu Chapter 15
by Greg78x
Summary: Continuation from mature side of the site. Somebody had a really good idea to add other characters and it just continued from there. Sort of ambling down this timeline now, not sure where it will take me. Might intersect with Citrus Stories or next thing I'll do.


It was the school week again. Yuzu was walking through the halls carrying her books. Just then, Harumin ran up to her and tapped her on the shoulder. "Hey Yuzu, what's up?" Harumin was grinning ear to ear, and Yuzu wasn't sure she liked the change. Her character had gone 180 from a quiet girl who doesn't say a lot to preppy and excited. Yuzu put on a quizzical frown.

"I'm just putting my school books away, studying for the test and all. I want the best grades, you know? Mei always gets on me about ranking."

Harumin kept grinning widely, to Yuzu's extreme discomfort. "What?" Yuzu laughed, barely phasing Harumin out of her apparent happiness. "Hey…" Harumin left it in the air, not following it up with anything. Yuzu frowned deeper, "Hey what, what are you so happy about today? Got a boyfriend now?"

Harumin cocked her head, this time phased, but then couldn't help grinning ear to ear, creeping Yuzu out utterly, "What are you, a cocker spaniel? Should I pat you on the head? Feed you a treat? Huh?"

Harumin tried to compose herself. She cleared her throat and looked more serious, "Yuzu. I just wanted to tell you that you're a wonderful person."

"Okay…"

"And I wanted to thank you for trying so hard. Each and every day."

"Riiiight."

Harumin smiled. "Do you think you could hang out today? There's something I want to tell you that's important."

Yuzu looked down at her watch instinctively, "Let's see, it's 1:30. Mei is expecting me home today. She likes to cook with me now and I'm kind of afraid of getting run off for going outside the norm. If I don't come home straight away or change out of my uniform, she'll never let it go."

"Ohhh, you and Mei have seen each other enough! Don't let her drag you down all the time. Let's go do something fun!"

Yuzu looked anxious, "Yeah, okay, I guess she can wait a little while." Yuzu didn't like it very much, Mei being back in her life was something she didn't want to miss every single day, but if Harumin was going to be like this, all fun and energetic…Anyways she'd been spending all her time with that girl. With the raven hair and the slender form…Yuzu began to drool.

"So, I guess I'll see you after school…"

"At Wacdonalds," replied Harumin.

"Burgers."

"Yeah!" Harumin said excitedly, like a cheerleader or a punk at a record shop. She was acting like one of those stereotypical American teenage girls. She must have had very good news to tell her.

Yuzu rolled her eyes. She couldn't guess what the whole thing was about. She walked off to her last class of the day. Harumin was creepy when she was like this. She was usually very self-controlled, especially when it came to her emotions. She usually saved her peppy self for when her and Yuzu were hanging out at the mall with each other. She was hardly ever even like that around Matsuri or Nene.

It had been a long, stressful chain of events over the past year. Mei had been retrieved from her grandfather's clutches and her and Yuzu had been talking about what they would do after high school was finished. Everyone in their friends' circle knew about them, and the rumors had even spread throughout the school. For sure, Mei got a lot less people asking her out nowadays. It was pretty much known now that she was spoken for. However, since they were step-sisters, Yuzu had worried about this particular information coming out. Luckily, few people knew that she was Mei's step-sister. Nor did they have any idea who Mei was dating. Yet the peace, calm and serenity apparent in Mei's character these days, or the lack of that 'angry look', that classic, narrow-eyed look that alerted friends, suitors and bystanders that hell's wrath was about to be unfurled, had been replaced with a more sincere, friendly look of perniciousness. Lately, Mei would give a frustrated sigh and let others deal with issues on their own. She also made sure to go home earlier now, leaving more work for the student council and friends.

Mei was known to traipse through the halls of the school with an air of calm and peace in these last three months. None of it was usual for the school president, daughter of the man who had run and owned the school, and who had been known for his hard nature and severe discipline. The change was night and day. She dealt with people quite socially now, always surprising the entire school with her gentleness. The angry, fiery president was now a gentle lamb. She helped girls with school problems in the cafeteria, listened to them about their relationships and test worries, their ranking, and was chummy with Himeko every lunch period. Still stern with the freshmen and sophomores, but so friendly afterward getting through their ordeals. Always trying to say a little more and act a little better. Trying to make everyone feel secure around her. People had noticed the change, that she had grown. This Mei didn't bite your head off but was rather like a protective mother doe.

Yuzu was quite proud of her efforts. Nobody could've dissuaded her from her original goal, because its success was so outwardly apparent. "To make Mei happy," she had always said. She'd at least conquered Mei's vicious demeanor with everyone.

Yuzu's pride was obvious. Not many noticed this, but Mei certainly did. However, she loved Yuzu, so it was easy to accept a win that was a win for her as well. Yuzu now had a role in her life, and Mei was willing to accept the changes Yuzu would affect in her. Whether it was holding hands, kissing on the cheek in the morning, hugging her to her side before they went to school, the little things Yuzu did to add sweetness to Mei's life helped her get through the day. Smiles, words of affection and brief touches in between classes, she would even do her hair if she asked her to, or if Mei was running late.

Yuzu was settling into relationship mode. The awkward things had come in dealing with her mother. At first, she had not known how to act around the two girls, whether it was alright to treat them as before or as one person—a couple. Were they mature or did they still need her protection? They were in high school, her mother had thought to herself, so perhaps they would still need her. The doting mother would not go away just yet.

Ume however, the girls' mother, had made it clear from the start, that any fraternizing was not to occur so willingly in front of her. She had forbidden them to be bold around her and made it a rule not for them to do relationship things in the hallways or elevator, or even outside the building, as if they ever would. Otherwise the tenants would talk, she said, and they would have to move. Still technically step-sisters, after all.

She had tried very hard to understand the transition her girls were making. From a cute, ignorant girl doing her hair and wearing too much make-up, to acting like she was in a committed relationship and preparing to be Mei's lifelong partner. It made her head spin, the speed of the changes going on with Yuzu. The lengths her daughter would go to absorb any punishment from Mei and help her if possible reminded her of marriage, specifically her marriage in the early years, how she had impetuously demanded control over her life while her parents had been forced to accept it. How she had made a claim on another person and almost bent over backwards to make herself more acceptable to that person. The mature responsibilities Yuzu was accepting almost daily meant her little girl was growing up.

Watching it all almost made her want to cry. It made her feel old, knowing her daughter would be leaving at the first opportunity to be with Mei and live with her. Dinners were awkward as she tried to treat them as she always had but realizing the two of them were more than that now. Since she knew about their relationship, she didn't have to hold back, and they didn't have to be inconspicuous. She accepted them as a mature couple who would work hard to be together into the future.

Sometimes when the two of them thought she was out of sight, they would hold hands, or their shoulders would touch, and it would make her realize that her daughter was committed and that they were in love.

Even when they went shopping as a group, Yuzu would consult Mei on shoes and dresses. It was cute and endearing. How quickly Ume had fallen out of the picture. She mostly tried to feel proud of Yuzu and Mei, but it limited her influence somewhat.

Yuzu had gone from happy go lucky to partner, but Ume admitted to herself that it was much better than the situation they had endured when Mei was gone from their lives. She thought often about the blessing Sho had delivered to them in his daughter, and the unexpected way their family had grown since then. It was a quirky world for sure.

Yuzu wandered out of her last class. Walking to Wacdonalds was a hassle. She wanted to be with Mei, who of course she had let know her plans in the president's room before leaving school, to which Mei had barely replied with acknowledgement. Yuzu knew her girlfriend didn't like it but since Harumin had practically begged her, she would understand. Mei had relented, but not before crossing from behind her desk and embracing Yuzu with her arms around her body, holding her shoulders. "I'm going to keep working for a couple hours, see you at home," she had said before a simple peck on the cheek.

The place was the usual grimy pit, but Yuzu was surprised to see that Harumin was already there, and animatedly talking to Matsuri. Matsuri was already there? She was talking to Harumin? They were being friendly? And where was Nene? Yuzu couldn't help but ask herself these questions, as the situation seemed unusual.

Quite a lot had happened apparently in the interceding months since Mei had left her. She had become a dried-out husk who couldn't fully register everything going on around her. Finally, Mei had accepted Yuzu's request to be with her. It had been a long span of time, around a year, if she was to be perfectly honest. It had been 3 months since Mei had returned. Yet Matsuri and Harumin hadn't done a lot of hanging out with her, constantly excusing themselves to do other things. Nene meanwhile had made other friends, and split time between the two groups.

She sighed tiredly, not for the meeting but for the way the last year had gone. Emotionally, she was tired and exhausted. It had all taken a lot out of her. She inwardly hoped that someday Mei would go through the same for her, she knew she would. She gripped her fist tightly as she opened the door.

"Yuzu! There she is!" Still smiling, Yuzu noticed, happy as a sunbeam that Harumin. It got her down in comparison.

"Hi Yuzu, I'm glad you could come." Matsuri was being so cheerful, not her usual cynical self at all. The blonde was surprised, something had changed in them both. The mystery made her dread having come here, but she didn't know why.

She sat down next to Harumin, cheerfully poking her in the shoulder. "So Harumin, what's up? You guys called me here. Study sess'?"

Harumin immediately blushed and looked down at her lap. "Um, Yuzu, Matsuri and I wanted to talk to you today because we have something important to tell you."

"Oh," said Yuzu, deadening to her eyes to the sensation she might be forced to endure soon. She didn't like surprises anymore, not these days, not since coming home to that damned letter from Mei. "I presume it is good news, then…" Yuzu left off. Both Harumin and Matsuri immediately got the meaning of the break, "Oh, there's no need to worry!" said Matsuri. "Yeah, Yuzu, this is good news, I promise!"

Yuzu tried to smile. Her heart had undergone so much. She couldn't take some stupid new thing right now, not yet. "Guys, you're both my best friends, I trust you. But you know how the last year has been for me."

"Sure!" said Matsuri, "But, it is kind of weird."

"Yeah," said Harumin, drawling, "a bit weird."

"You might not understand at first, it might be quite a shock." Harumin broke in, "Do you want a shake or something first? You should order something, then we'll tell you."

Yuzu stared at them, exploding inside from curiosity, "Okay," she huffed and went to the counter to order.

Matsuri looked at Harumin, "We have to tell her." Harumin nodded, "Of course! Why wouldn't we? Why shouldn't we?" Matsuri looked nervous. Harumin wanted to grasp her hand but also didn't want to ruin the surprise. She cleared her throat and looked out the window at the sunny afternoon.

Yuzu arrived back at the table with a chocolate malt topped with whipped cream and a cherry on top. She dug in a few spoonfuls, enjoying the sugary treat. She licked the spoon back to front and clicked her tongue, "Okay, shoot."

Matsuri got a little embarrassed, knowing that this was the moment. Yuzu was going to be the first other soul they had told about them. She mentally prepared herself, she was the better speaker among the two.

"Hey Yuzu, you remember that time when I met you and Mei at the mall and I acted like a real piece of crap?"

Yuzu looked a little stunned, she closed her eyes and opened them again, grimacing a little, "Of course." A side-glance at Harumin, barely registering the information, interested all the same.

"And do you remember, I didn't treat you and Mei very well. I wanted to apologize for that. It was immature of me." Yuzu was surprised she was saying all of this in front of her other friend who was usually clueless about all this sappy relationship stuff. "It's fine, Matsuri. You don't have to say sorry. You're a good friend and you've more than made up for it since." She held Matsuri's hand which was stiffened into a fist.

"Well, I just wanted to let you know, that the way you dealt with all of that, and not giving up on me, it was awesome. It meant a lot to me."

Yuzu paused, she shut her eyes and exhaled, "Matsuri, I know you didn't really mean to cause harm. I would never give up on you as a friend."

Matsuri smiled, this was going well. "Yeah, but about that…" she cleared her throat, "Um, because you're such a good friend, and you're important to Harumin and me, we wanted to invite you here today to tell you something…new."

Yuzu's eyelash leapt up in question, Harumin broke in, "Yeah, Yuzu. Me and Matsuri wanted to share something with you today."

Now Yuzu was squeamishly curious. They were both acting weird, like aliens taken up to a ship and replaced with lizard people who were always nice in a banal way and never argued with anybody. Like automatons, or as if they had been replaced with other people. They were being so nice. Immediately she realized that's what was missing, the fighting, the back and forth. The two girls were utterly calm around each other and there was no more mental pressure or anxiety, it was like Yuzu wasn't the center of their universe anymore, which for a moment made her sad, and then made her kind of happy. Them getting along with each other was alright with her.

"Yuzu…" Harumin almost began, but Matsuri put her hand up, "Harumin, let me…," Harumin got quiet. She knew she was the emotional support, this wouldn't work unless Yuzu was told from across the table and Harumin could be there for her.

Matsuri breathed in and out for a bit. This was a lot harder than she had imagined. Yuzu's cow-like eyes, full of happiness and sunshine, wondering, were about to be smashed to atoms, Matsuri thought. It hit her deep in the pit of her stomach.

She sighed, putting all the strength in herself that she could compose. "Yuzu. Do you know when you and Mei started dating? And you were playing around with each other, having little fights, holding hands, screaming insults at each other?"

Yuzu considered, "Yeah, it wasn't quite like that, well, okay, it was kind of like that."

"Exactly. Like that, Mei picking on you, you pick up the pieces, and always guessing about what might be."

"Sure," responded the blonde, "It was a tense situation, nothing was decided yet. I didn't know our relationship very well and I was still trying to source out Mei's feelings."

"Yes, exactly. Now, Yuzu, what I'm about to tell you will come as somewhat of a shock. However…"

"Yeah, Yuzu," Harumin broke in, "It's not because of you, it's not something anyone planned, but it's kind of the way things have happened."

Matsuri let her friend speak, this was a lot of coaxing because they didn't want to shock Yuzu or make her cry in a Wacdonalds, otherwise they'd never be able to show their faces in this place again. "Yuzu, you remember how I was trying to get you to go out with me?"

Yuzu was stunned by this, although she should have considered that since she had come out, it was a bit more okay to say it out loud, but in front of Harumin? "I told you that was fine," Yuzu blushed, "I understand."

"But you recognize, Yuzu…" Matsuri drew figures on the table with her finger, "That I was trying to get closer to you."

Yuzu deadpanned and gripped the table, "Sure."

Matsuri looked deeply into Yuzu's eyes, making her uncomfortable. "That wasn't just a phase."

Yuzu's throat grew dry. She didn't know what to say and she felt a lot of pressure to get the next sentence that came out of her mouth correct, in case she might upset her childhood friend, "Okay. I'm fine with that. I mean, you can tell, well…with who I'm in love with. It's not a phase for me, either. You have to be certain with these things, not that I want to go too far down the rabbit hole with this."

Yuzu now looked over at Harumin quickly, she was looking out of the window into the afternoon sunshine. Yuzu hoped they weren't both embarrassing Harumin, she would feel terrible about that.

"Yuzu," Matsuri spoke up again, drawing her attention back to the piquant pink-haired girl.

"I'm gay, Yuzu." Yuzu's throat didn't have an ounce of moisture in it. "Alright."

"Yuzu." The blonde girl looked into Matsuri's eyes more deeply than before, she hoped with all her might that Matsuri wasn't going to try to be in a relationship with her again, they had already been through all that. Was this a love confession?

Matsuri sighed, "Yuzu, despite that fact, I wanted to let you know that I don't have feelings for you like that anymore." Yuzu was shocked, now she didn't know where this was going.

"Okay Matsuri, I understand. You're a very good friend, and I accept whoever you want to be with."

Matsuri smiled slyly now and Yuzu felt uncomfortable, like she was suddenly a witness on the prosecutor's stand. "Of course, because you're that kind of girl, right?"

Yuzu gulped, "Yes, I will always support my friends, Matsuri. You know I would support you in any endeavor, not just because of Mei or my own sexuality."

Matsuri smiled more, Yuzu felt calmer. Was that all this was? Easy.

"So," said Matsuri, folding her hands in front of Yuzu, "You accept me, and whatever love I try to pursue is just fine with you."

"Yes," replied Yuzu.

"That's clear."

"Of course!" said Yuzu, reaffirming her affirmation.

"And you don't have any problem with that."

Yuzu said nothing. "Whoever it is."

Yuzu's mind drew a blank, she didn't know where this was going. "Huh, Matsuri, you know I support you, I always have. I always will."

Matsuri smiled and grinned that evil grin Yuzu didn't like, it meant the pink haired girl was up to no good. "Anybody, yes."

"Geeze Matsuri, don't you have any faith in me?" Yuzu sipped more of her chocolate malt, it was a bit melty and even better now.

"So…what if I told you I found a new love?" Yuzu kept sipping, focused on her shake. "Yeah yeah, new love, what's not to like, so who is it? Did you meet somebody downtown? Someone at school? What? It better not be Mei or something stupid like that."

Matsuri laughed, chortled even, "No, of course not. I support you and Mei just like you support me and my new love."

"Huhh, yes Matsuri, I support your new love."

Yuzu was getting tired of this. She really wanted to go back home and see how Mei was doing. She'd be there soon, and Yuzu could show her a new recipe with noodles, sauce and vegetables that was a stir fry with a lot of good aromatics and herbs, maybe scrambled eggs.

Matsuri had a sly smirk on. She seemed satisfied, but Yuzu didn't know why on earth she was keeping her in the dark as to who it was that she was now in love with. She'd never known the girl to take on a lover. It was all quite mysterious, and she knew Matsuri knew how to keep her in the dark with important matters.

Matsuri exhaled, "So what if I told you the person I love is someone you know?"

Yuzu's eyes grew a little bit larger. "Somebody I know?"

"Yes, Yuzu, somebody you and I both know."

Yuzu was getting tired of this game. "Somebody I know, somebody I know…"

Suddenly Yuzu was getting uncomfortable. Now she really didn't like this game, realizing the implications of this statement.

"Yuzu…I have fallen in love…with a friend of yours."

Yuzu was stunned again. Not just an acquaintance but a friend? What the hell?

Yuzu dug her nails into her fists, not knowing what else to do. "Matsuri, this is getting to be a bit too much. What is this?"

Matsuri had the same sly smirk on. "It's someone you've known for a long time, but of course it's not someone from the old neighborhood." Yuzu's mind filled with dread. "Is it a club head at the school?"

"No."

"Is it…oh my God, it's not a teacher, is it?"

Matsuri rolled her eyes. "I'm not into older chicks like that."

Yuzu threw her hands into her face, smearing them against her eyes in frustration. "Um, could it be one of the girls in your classes. Akko? Fumiyo, Konomi?"

"Ha ha ha, no," said Matsuri, shaking her head, mightily pleased with herself, "But it is someone close."

Yuzu narrowed her eyes, she missed Mei's brilliance at times like this. She felt stupid for being led around by the nose for Matsuri's entertainment as per usual. "God Matsuri, this joke's gone far enough!"

"What? You say that my love is a joke?" said Matsuri with as much pomp as she could muster. "No, no! I would never say that!"

"Then…what if I told you, I loved someone you care about?"

Then everything stopped. Now it wasn't funny anymore. The joke had run its course. "What are you saying? Is this a…mass conspiracy?" Her eyes shifted around the room.

At this Harumin slapped her head with her hand, smashing it over and over. "Aaaggghhh, Yuzu, it's me, alright! It's me!"

Matsuri was surprised and immediately let down that Harumin had given up the answer. Yuzu's face went into a shocked state that neither of her friends had ever seen before, caught between fright and a deep freeze. Matsuri thought she could've pushed Yuzu over with a feather at this point, or breathed on her, and she might have completely fainted.

Yuzu's mind reeled in a deep state of shock. It was an answer she had put out of her mind completely. She knew Harumin was straight, she had always asked her about boyfriends and lovers before she knew about Mei. She might've guessed it was Nene, but Nene wasn't on Matsuri's level at all. She knew Harumin inside and out, she had never ever come on to her, had never even raised the issue.

Her mind couldn't process the information. "I'm going home," a tear fell from her eye. Matsuri was startled, Harumin grabbed Yuzu's wrist, "Wait, Yuzu. We didn't mean to tell you like this or shock you. Matsuri was doing her best to lead you in softly. We don't want to hurt you."

Yuzu looked her friend deep in the eyes, "Didn't want to hurt me?" More tears fell, "My best friend says she's in love with my best friend and you don't want to hurt me?"

Harumin was at a loss for words. Yuzu wrenched her wrist free, got up from the table and left the Wacdonald's for a walk outside. She thought she might've heard Harumin shout her name, but her brain was shut off by then.

Nothing was calculating in Yuzu's consciousness anymore. The wind felt good on her skin after the tense heat of the Wacdonalds. She kept clomping forward on her way home and she didn't stop until she was in front of her apartment building. In the elevator she felt like throwing up. She opened the front door, "Yuzu, I've started dinner," Mei had called sweetly from the kitchen, to which Yuzu's tear-stained eyes and ears had barely registered. She threw down her bag and stomped into the bedroom. She shut the door behind her violently and immediately fell asleep.

Mei was confounded and peeked inside the door to see if she was still awake. When she wasn't, she shrugged her shoulders, sure that it couldn't be something she had done. All night Yuzu's phone buzzed with texts to which there was no response.


End file.
